Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-24

their rtNONtfS hS llc SLOWLY pIOluttu |
common butchers knife from under
bis coat and derringer from his trOu-
scrs rocket, and further, with some re-
luctance, rude little pOckct-book or
leather case (Which, by the way, con
tanned nothing of any importance as
cyidencc). and very artistic bowie
knife, with a scientifically proportional
blade and haft of green-shell work,
such as San Francisco cutters are proud
10 make. My volunteer constablcs then
civilly Informed me that they, though
not British subjects, had been moved
by the special nature Of this difficulty
to act rs they had done ~ that he
yond clinching the prisoner for me
with their experienced hands, they
could do and would do no more.
Accordingly, a couple of stout raw
hide lariats were produced, with
one of which Mr.. Conner was very
neatly and quickly bound, while the
end Of the other WAS 50 arranged
around bis neck that, while he could
in uowise Sip his head ont Of it, the
holder Of the other end Of It, passing
as it lid over hook in the roof Of the
room, could stranelc him incontinently
at will with a slip-knot well fabricated
for the purpose. The situation was
not agreeable for me, and scarcely dig
nGcd. The daty Of q constable or
jailcr thrust upon a magistrate, the
surrounding persons, at tn best cold
asscntcrs to British Justice, at the
worst, when the Indignation of tho
original witnesses should have sub
sided land Mr.. Davis refused t. wait
voluntarily, and carried his SUMMONS
as witness, scrawlcd by me on an old
envelope, down country with him)
too probable sympathizcrs with,
and perhaps rcscuers Of, the crimi-
nal. The only hope had was in a rl-
nor that the Judge OF the Criminal As
size was reported to be somewhere in
the uCiehborhood. He at all events
would have physical force Of some kind
ard would relieve me Of my prisoner.
Him. whatever might bctidc, / deter
mined to hold while hand and Hit kept
together and while the tired eyclids Of
my tined eyes could be induced to keep
apart Looking back now on what did
happen, ! hardly know if ! should SO
have determined could / have fore
seen it.
"Gentlcmcn ! never slept for five
nights and four days from the moment
Of that capture They tried to bride
me-frst with one gold watch, then
with three, all Of the huge American
pattern; then with leather bags OF
dust, also increasing in value. At
last / had to threaten that | would
hang the man with the las5o that never
left my hand if they did not cease. At
length, on the evening OF the fourth
day, WHEN | positively believe | WAS
lieLt-hoaded, but keeping a firm
grip on the lasso, nevertheless (whe-
thcr the poor devil, Conner, WIS
light headed ! did not perhaps to
curiousIy consider without even
mmor from the road to prepare me-,
dear old ~, the magistrate of the dis
t1ict We were il, having heard OF my
stIange plight, sent two special con
stables TO relieve me OF my man. They
did So, and let him escape within the
hour. 'Fnhed 2 you ask-who knows?
Conuor's friends, or the laws enemies.
were many and rich. They hal had
relays of horses on more trails than one
for several days, / learned afterwarl.
As for me, slept for six-and-thirty
hours without break, and have now
arrived at the point when ! can intro
ducc the promised ilios into my nara
tive.
"Ihc foregoing unsatisfactory cpl
sodc being ended, with the only good
Il suit that ny sOmctme-jadcd mare
was now as fit as a four-year-old, |
went about my business, having re-
cclvcd a cheerful message from Mr..
Conner that he intended f. shoot me
'on sight. This stercotycd warning
Of the West generally means business,
aud is considered by the party receiv-
ing il as IL legitimate warrant for any
extreme Of anticipatory rcprisal and
defence ; but | never expected to see
Conner again. and blew his message
out Of the range OF practical politics.
"On my way down, some fifty miles
from Williams Lake, | encountered
at Il waysidc house face that was IA
miliar, and presently remembered 1t as
belonging TO an elderly and feeble
looking miner who, in the first day or
two Of ny acting as constable, had how
cred about me Ill diiiident way, as if
dosirous Of speaking, and yet disap-
pearcd without any actual plrlcy having
taken place. The strange thing wa
however, that ne was now. in the very
teeth Of winter, going W country. iie
appeared still very Shy, and We barely
exchanged half dozen words with each
other TIL about II the next morning, to
which hour | had waited to let the Ice
melt of theroadS. We were sitting To-
gethcr in sort of rude veranda that
gathered the beams Of TIE morning
sun. | looking over some notes and ne
/ DOING III the corner of the settle. !
noticed with some compassion the deep
lines of lbs face, and idly wondered
what strange matters might be read be-
| tween them had any one the key to the
CIPHER he flies, the mcancst sort OF
all. the common house flies. were
Troublesome, and perhaps investigating
also the strange matters writ III the
| IGOR ,ep wrinkles. lie twtchcd aud
moantd pathetically, and J, with the
end of my long glove, assumed the
humble negro junction OF frightening
away the biuc-tail flies to give him II
little more of the sweet rest of uncon-
! sciCusness.
Soon / was aware, though he never
moved, that ms weary gaze WAS fast
outd upon my PROCEEDINGS After a
few seconds he spoke slowly: 'Jed9t,
take It mortal kind Of You to lay ont
On ne for that there stint; don't laT,
lat it seems to kinder mind ne of my
mother forty years ago. There's q
pesFy sight Of flies N this here world.
/ mostly shccr EN- of myself -when
they don't hide =
There was an inlcscribable patho5
in the old mans nasal drawl. He
spoke as one who had cot his death
wound in his heart as he went on I
reckon you remember ne III the crowd
Wonder when Won corralled that critter,
Conner? | had reasons to be grateful
to You, Jedge, and with my poor sis-
tors son, Dave Grow chat was him rs
Was shot 10y COnnor), with him--tiOd' 5
mercy on HIM even out OF lay path,
and Connor chained up III Your British
/ i. l. L. .